FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[What's Burning?]

Thought this would be a good place to begin a discussion on all things ridiculous with the FiA. So, because of an unfortunate isolated incident, we will no longer have exciting first hand pit stop videos, photographs and things we would never get to see as fans otherwise, were it not to be for the lucky and talented few that have jobs as F1 cameraman and photographers.

I wonder what they would have changed if it was a pit crew member of another team that had been hit and broken their collar bone. Um... nothing, they would have changed nothing.

Following a pit lane incident at last weekend’s German Grand Prix, the FIA has decided to take steps to increase F1 safety and is to institute an immediate ban on anyone other than event marshals and team personnel being present in pit lane during races and grand prix qualifying sessions. Access for approved media will be confined to the pit wall.

Last weekend’s incident at the Nürburgring occurred when, following a pit stop, a wheel became detached from the Red Bull Racing car of Mark Webber as he made his way towards the pit lane exit. The loose wheel struck a television cameraman who was hospitalised as a result. He is expected to make a full recovery.

In order to reduce the risk of similar accidents in the future, the FIA, on the initiative of its President, Jean Todt, will be seeking to make changes to the Formula One Sporting Regulations. In order to effect this, the FIA today informed teams that the approval of the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) will immediately be sought for two changes to the Sporting Regulations. Both of these changes have already been approved for 2014. However, for safety reasons, the WMSC will be asked to approve their immediate implementation. The changes are:

1) Article 23.11*, which will now require all team personnel working on a car during a pit stop to wear head protection.

2) Article 30.12**, which will provide for a reduction of the pit lane speed limit during races from 100km/h to 80km/h (with the exception of Melbourne, Monaco and Singapore, where due to track configuration the limit remains at 60km/h).

Finally, in relation to the incident at the German Grand Prix, the FIA is expecting a written report from Red Bull Racing tomorrow. This will also be shared with the other teams in order to help improve pit lane safety.

* 23.11 Team personnel are only allowed in the pit lane immediately before they are required to work on a car and must withdraw as soon as the work is complete. All team personnel carrying out any work on a car during a race pit stop must be wearing head protection.

** 30.12 A speed limit of 80km/h will be imposed in the pit lane during the whole Event. However, this limit may be amended by the stewards following a recommendation from the FIA F1 safety delegate. Any team whose driver exceeds the limit during any practice session will be fined €100 for each km/h above the limit, up to a maximum of €1000. However, in accordance with Article 18.1 the stewards may inflict an additional penalty if they suspect a driver was speeding in order to gain any sort of advantage. During the race the stewards may impose either of the penalties under Article 16.3a) or b) on any driver who exceeds the limit.

[racechick]

You might find this article interesting on the uselessness of this latest decision......and John Todt's impending re-election.
.http://willthef1journo.wordpress.com/20 ... the-cause/

[geetface9]

Great article, though I don't post a comment asking about the protection offered by the helmets worn by members of the pit crew. It seems the author got a tad carried away with trying to prove his point by saying they're as flimsy as iron man masks, but otherwise it has great insight

[acosmichippo]

* 23.11 Team personnel are only allowed in the pit lane immediately before they are required to work on a car and must withdraw as soon as the work is complete. All team personnel carrying out any work on a car during a race pit stop must be wearing head protection.

I wonder if they will also start cracking down on pit stop fakeouts, where the crew go out as if they're bringing a car in to try to fool other teams into doing it.

[darwin dali]

* 23.11 Team personnel are only allowed in the pit lane immediately before they are required to work on a car and must withdraw as soon as the work is complete. All team personnel carrying out any work on a car during a race pit stop must be wearing head protection.

I wonder if they will also start cracking down on pit stop fakeouts, where the crew go out as if they're bringing a car in to try to fool other teams into doing it.

Goooood question...

[What's Burning?]

They're frantically adding seats on the pit wall in Hungary for the camera men, photographers, VIPs and girlfriends to sit now that they can't loiter about in pit lane.

[stonemonkey]

* 23.11 Team personnel are only allowed in the pit lane immediately before they are required to work on a car and must withdraw as soon as the work is complete. All team personnel carrying out any work on a car during a race pit stop must be wearing head protection.

I wonder if they will also start cracking down on pit stop fakeouts, where the crew go out as if they're bringing a car in to try to fool other teams into doing it.

Didn't they bring in rules about that some time ago?

[andrew]

Only sensible move for the FiA to make. Far better to bring in improved safety measures than be seen to turn a blind eye and have someone else injured or worse.

[What's Burning?]

Only sensible move for the FiA to make. Far better to bring in improved safety measures than be seen to turn a blind eye and have someone else injured or worse.

Give RC's Will Buxton link a read.

The FIA says it will impose an “immediate ban on anyone other than event marshals and team personnel being present in pit lane during races and grand prix qualifying sessions. Access for approved media will be confined to the pit wall.”

A bold step you might say. But then what if I told you that is precisely the arrangement that currently exists?

Nobody, not FIA media (written), not FOM media (TV and radio), are allowed in the pitlane during qualifying or the race. There is a red “PIT LANE” line over which no member of the media is allowed to pass during those sessions. Do so, and your pass is taken away. No arguments.

The only media which is allowed into the pitlane is a select group of photographers granted a special tabard. Their access is limited to the pit wall.

[racechick]

Some more information on the effects of their lane bans on fans and getting information from teams and drivers
http://willthef1journo.wordpress.com/20 ... t-f1-fans/

[Denthúl]

I wonder how hard it would be to implement a system where the car can't actually drive off without the peg or whatever it is in the wheel nut these days being locked in-place. Certainly, the FIA need to look at preventing this kind of unsafe release in the first place, rather than moving everyone around, because the latter (as rightly stated) will do little to help other pit-lane personnel, or indeed people on the pit wall if it happens to be the left-rear that flies off instead of the right. Reducing the number of people allowed to work on the car at any one time may also help with this a little, although I'm not sure reducing them to the number allowed in, say, Le Mans would necessarily be a good idea. We still want fast pit stops, we just want safe pit stops as well.

[Bubbie]

I would like to see one of those wire cameras down the length of the pitlane, and maybe a few robotic cameras. Then we can get a good view of what is happening all over the place.

[acosmichippo]

I would like to see one of those wire cameras down the length of the pitlane, and maybe a few robotic cameras. Then we can get a good view of what is happening all over the place.

yeah, that should be fairly doable. wonder why they haven't done it yet...

[What's Burning?]

I always wanted to see embedded very wide angle cams in the asphalt a la NASCAR so you could get a shot right at the wheel change. You can blanket a circuit with pit cams and get some very cool shots but who pays for them and when are they installed because Hungary promises to be very spartan of interesting shots.

[Hammer278]

You learn something new everyday....I always thought the guy with the lollipop was also the pitlane traffic spotter.